Choosing the right knife

1. Invest in an all-purpose kitchen utility knife. If you’ve only got room for one knife in the kitchen, make it an all purpose knife. Good for chopping, slicing, and doing any number of other jobs, a good-quality utility kitchen knife is the most versatile tool you can have in the kitchen. Even if the rest of your tools are cheap and dull, a good kitchen knife will keep you cooking

There’s no “best knife” or perfect knife for the kitchen. If you’re in the market for a good set of knives, consider investing in a single good knife and other cheaper subsidiary knives. You can do most important cutting jobs in the kitchen with a basic kitchen knife, about 5 inches (12.7 cm) long, triangular, and made of stainless steel or other material.

2.Use a chef’s knife for chopping, mincing, and dicing. Chefs’ knives are also sometimes just referred to as “kitchen knives” and are heavy-duty blades. For some cooks, a good chefs’ knife is the only slicing tool necessary in the kitchen, useful for doing careful small slices into fruit, smashing bulbs of garlic, and chopping onions, not much use for stirring though![6]

Kitchen knives can be made from ceramic, steel or polycarbonate blends in a variety of styles. Western-style kitchen knives tend to be broader and more chopping-oriented, while Japanese-style kitchen knives are sleeker and typically stronger steel.

3.Use a paring knife for peeling fruits and vegetables. Paring knives are another extremely common kitchen implement, usually quite small and used for peeling and slicing, but won’t usually be used for chopping or other major knife skills in the kitchen.

Paring knives are good especially for fresh fruits, useful for cutting up an apple, pear, or stone fruits.

4.Use a bread knife for slicing. Serrated knives are particularly useful for slicing bread. There’s nothing more frustrating than baking a hefty loaf of soft brown bread and smashing it with a kitchen knife, trying to slice it. A serrated knife is also excellent for carving roasted meat joints and other items, making it a helpful addition to the kitchen

5.Select knives with good weight and balance. In a good utility kitchen knife, you want a good balance and weight between the blade and the tang, the steel that extends into the handle of the knife. The best knives should be made from a single piece of steel, and should be well-balanced. Check by trying to balance the knife on your finger, just at the top of the handle. It should feel dense in your hand, so you can let the knife do the work for you.